The Effect of Moderate Alcohol Intake on Serum Apolipoproteins A-I and A-II

Abstract

High serum concentrations of apolipoprotein (apo) A-I are associated with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease. To study the effect of alcohol intake on serum apo A-I and A-II concentrations, 24 healthy male drinkers (37.8 +/- 13.9 mL [1.3 +/- 0.5 oz] of ethanol per day, mean +/- SD) were randomized into treatment and control groups after a three-week baseline period. The treatment group abstained from all intake of alcohol for the six weeks following randomization and then reverted to its usual level of intake for a five-week period. The control group continued its usual level of drinking throughout the trial. The concentrations of apo A-I and apo A-II of abstainers decreased significantly compared with the corresponding changes in controls. After drinking was resumed, apo A-I and apo A-II concentrations were significantly increased in the treatment group compared with the corresponding changes in the control group. These results suggest that the association between moderate alcohol intake and reduced risk of coronary heart disease may be mediated in part by increased levels of serum apo A-I or apo A-II, or both.

Antioxidative Capacity of Wine on Human LDL Oxidation in Vitro: Effect of Skin Contact in Winemaking of White Wine

“…However, the mechanism for such anti-atherogenicity is far from clear. To date, the bestsupported hypothesis is based on the observation that, with moderate consumption of alcohol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) components (cholesterol and apolipoproteins AI and AII) are increased (Camargo et al, 1985;Moore and Pearson, 1986). These plasma constituents have been well-established, in epidemiological studies, as being inversely correlated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the proposed mechanism is that the HDL lipoprotein acts as a captor of the excess of cholesterol and its subsequent transport to the liver for irreversible catabolism.…”

“…Debate continues as to whether the observed inverse relationships between a moderate wine intake and atherosclerosis are casual or causal (Hegsted and Ausman, 1988;Rimm et al, 1991;Jackson and Beaglehole, 1993), and opinions are varied (Camargo et al, 1985;Moore and Pearson, 1986;Meade et al, 1986) as to what may be the mechanisms accounting for the putative anti-atherogenicity; the antioxidative property being the most recent and controversial (De Whalley et al, 1990;Frankel et al, 1993a;Fuhrman et al, 1995;Sharpe et al, 1995;De Rijke et al, 1996;Caldu ´et al, 1996), particularly with regard to whether it is the alcohol per se or other constituents of wine that produce the effect.…”

Type A behavior pattern and alcohol intake in middle-aged men.

“…Although high levels of drinking have obvious adverse effects, many studies have reported an inverse relationship between nonexcessive alcohol intake and CHD (5,6). Alcohol-induced elevation of highdensity lipoprotein subclasses (7,8) may partially mediate this "protective" effect.…”

Is a Meal without Wine Good for Health?

“…High Density Lipoprotein rate increase: The oldest known mechanism is the increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels [45,46,47], including the HDL2 and HDL3 fractions, as well as the protein constituents of HDL, Apo A1, and Apo A2 [48]. A decrease in the activity of the cholesterol transfer protein esterified, CETP [49] could be the origin of the rise of HDL.…”